


A Recipe For Success

by 108_Stars



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:01:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27460867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/108_Stars/pseuds/108_Stars
Summary: When Dedue's new bakery makes a deal with Ashe's cafe, he's over the moon. Without having to worry about money so much, he's free to put his heart into his baking. What he isn't expecting however, is for Ashe to capture his heart.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Dedue Molinaro
Comments: 9
Kudos: 49





	A Recipe For Success

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for @MxTicketyBoo on twitter, thank you so much for commissioning me! (And for one of my favourite ships as well!)

Dawn is just starting to break outside the Molinaro Bakery. Dedue hardly notices, his attention fully on the giant lump of bread dough in front of him as he kneads it to perfection. The ovens are already fired up, other loaves are baking. It’s solitary work, but Dedue doesn’t mind; he welcomes it in fact, one of the things that made him seriously consider starting the bakery after much pestering and encouragement from his sister.  
  
The oven crackles a little. It’s nothing to worry about, probably a shelf shifting slightly. It won’t stop him from checking in a moment anyway, but it’s hardly cause for concern. Until he hears the noise again and no, it isn’t the oven, but the door. Dedue checks the timer; the loaves in the oven still have plenty of time and this dough can wait a moment. There’s no time to wonder who else might be awake at 5AM and be wanting to talk to him. He steps out from the kitchen and walks to the front of the shop to see who it could possibly be.  
  
A short figure stands outside the door. Well, no, they’re probably not short, they seem about the same height as Caspar, Dedue’s new, very enthusiastic gym buddy. Caspar is broader than the person stood outside the door though, and doesn’t seem to be drowning in a baggy shirt and apron. Dedue unlocks the door, opening it a crack.  
  
“Can I help you?”  
  
Now that he’s closer, Dedue can see them clearer. Pieces of silver hair escaping from a few brave hair grips, long lashes framing brilliant green eyes, the dusting of freckles across his cheeks…  
  
“Hi!! Hello! Sorry to um, bother you like this. My name is Ashe, I work at Violet Cafe, across the street from you.” Ashe points to a name badge [Ashe :) he/him] pinned wonkily to the front of a slightly stained apron. Dedue stares at it for a moment, letting whatever other thoughts might have begun to cross his mind to depart.  
  
“Dedue. Good to meet you, Ashe.”  
  
He opens the door wider and steps back to let Ashe in.  
  
“Wow, this is lovely, Dedue! I keep meaning to visit after work but well-” Ashe blushes, a dusting of pink on his cheeks “-I always finish too late.”  
  
“I hope you have the chance someday. I could bring something to the cafe once I have closed for the day, if you would like?” He isn’t sure why he’s offering to do such a thing for a person he’s just met; he tries to convince himself it’s good for business, making connections, but Dedue knows that isn’t the whole truth.  
  
“Oh!” Ashe’s bright voice brings him out of his thoughts again. “Well um, that’s actually why I’m here. I was wondering if you’d like to supply breakfast pastries for the cafe? I’ve- our customers keep saying good things and well, we- I used to make everything but it’s got too busy to keep up…”  
  
A contract with a successful cafe isn’t something Dedue is about to turn down, not if he can help it. He’ll have to adjust his current routine, perhaps scale back production for his own shop (not to worry, most of the people who seem to buy the pastries had walked right over from Ashe’s cafe), and of course, work out a price. None of that stops a glimmer of excitement from swelling in his chest.  
  
“I understand. You must be very busy.” Ashe nods bashfully. “I would be interested, though we will have to talk more about it first.”  
  
“Of course! I wouldn’t rush you into anything, that wouldn’t be good at all.” Ashe laughs nervously as he slips a pen and pad from his apron pocket. “Let me give you my contact details. I um, I have to run in a moment, I can’t leave things unsupervised but I’d love to discuss everything later!”  
  
Dedue nods and Ashe frantically scribbles down a phone number and email. His writing is messy, the letters squished together and uneven. Dedue’s mother had once told him you could tell a lot about a person from their handwriting. Dedue thinks he’d rather find out about Ashe from himself. He returns the gesture, writing his own contact details down.  
  
It’s only after Ashe has run out of the door, shouting apologies as he goes, that Dedue realises he’s left his pen.

  
  
\----

  
  
Dedue closes up just after 3PM. The shelves are empty, even the few less impressive loaves have been bought up by people on their lunch break. He wipes the kitchen down, making sure the ovens are turned off and cooled enough to leave. He checks his pocket for the pen again, before pulling the shutters down and making his way across the street.  
  
Violet Cafe is still bustling, even after the lunchtime rush. Groups of students crammed in around tables that shouldn’t have that many chairs, families sit by the window and stare out onto the street. A bell rings as Dedue opens the door, but Ashe doesn’t notice. He’s behind the counter, laughing with a customer as he works on an order. His whole face lights up and Dedue knows -- even though he hardly knows him -- that this is what must make Ashe truly happy. He tries not to linger in the door any longer, knowing that it’s only a matter of time before someone notices him there. It seems rude to cut in front of someone, so he joins the small queue and waits.  
  
“Hi, what can I- oh! Dedue! Are you finished for the day?”  
  
“Yes. We close at 2:30, after lunchtime.” Dedue hopes Ashe doesn’t take his way of speaking for him not caring.  
  
“That seems smart! Especially if it’s just you running the place. Oh! What can I get you?”  
  
Dedue looks at the board for a moment. He’s not a fan of coffee; he’d been too reliant on it to get through his college classes. Nowadays he prefers to avoid it, sticking to tea. There’s an impressive selection and Dedue is sure anything would be nice, but he catches his favourite in the middle of it all.  
  
“Ginger tea, the smallest size please.”  
  
Ashe jumps to make it straight away, chatting away as he works. Dedue is so captivated by him, he almost forgets to return the pen.  
  


  
\----  
  


_Bzzt!_

_Bzzt!_ _  
__  
_Dedue sighs. He’d left his phone on the kitchen table after making dinner and while he _could_ move to get it, it would mean moving the two chinchillas currently running around in his lap.  
  
 _Bzzt!_ _  
__  
_“Come here, you two.”  
  
He opens his hands up and lets the two balls of fluff curl up in them. Placing them carefully on his shoulders (a move that took a while to perfect), he stands and goes to check on whoever might be messaging him. His circle is small, outside of his family he mostly only keeps in contact with Dimitri and Marianne from his college days, and Mercedes, who ran the bakery in his old hometown and who had let him learn the ropes of running a business there.  
  
It’s none of them however; instead, a number Dedue doesn’t have saved flashes up on the screen.  
  
0xxxxx: Hi! We’ve closed up for the day and I’m free if you wanted to talk in more detail about a plan.

0xxxxx: I know you might have to sleep early because of the bakery schedule, so just let me know when is good for you! I can always take a break from working.  
  
0xxxxx: This is Ashe by the way!!

Dedue smiles at the messages, Ashe’s nervous, but earnest demeanor shining through even over text. Biscotti takes this moment of calm to try and run off Dedue’s shoulder; he catches her, holding both her and Crumpet carefully as he sits back down on the sofa. He saves the number before replying.  
  
Dedue: I am still awake, we can talk now if that is alright?  
  
Ashe: Perfect!

They talk through an agreement, Ashe promising to send over a proper contract when he gets to work in the morning. It still doesn’t quite feel real. Dedue considers messaging his sister to tell her the news, but resolves to wait until the contract is signed.  
  
 _Bzzt!_ _  
__  
_Perhaps his sister had a sixth sense and had messaged to congratulate him? Dedue unlocks his phone, unable to stop a small chuckle as he sees the message  
  
Ashe: iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiijdhr  
  
Ashe: I’m so sorry! My cat jumped onto me while I was typing!  
  
A cat? Somehow Dedue isn’t surprised by Ashe’s choice of companions; he imagines Ashe might be more surprised by his.  
  
Dedue: Don’t worry, please.  
  
Dedue: What is your cat’s name?  
  
He should worry (and a part of him does) that he’s acting too familiar with someone he’s just met, with someone he’s signed a business contract with but-  
  
Ashe: [There’s a picture of 3 cats. They’re all slightly ragged looking, one missing an eye, one without a tail, uneven fur. They’re curled up together on the sofa.]  
I have 3! They’re Kyphon, Loog, and Pan (don’t judge the names please!!).  
  
Dedue: 3 cats? That must be a lot of work, alongside the cafe.  
  
Ashe: Not really! Well, maybe a bit but I couldn’t abandon them. I found them in a box behind my apartment building ;_;  
  
The idea of Ashe looking after tiny, abandoned kittens shouldn’t make Dedue’s heart swell in the way it does. He’s only known Ashe a day! He considers messaging Dimitri for advice, but thinks better of it, remembering how disastrous his friend’s past relationships had been.  
  
Dedue: You’re a good person, to take them in and raise them.  
  
They keep chatting as Dedue realises he can no longer ignore the clock and needs to get ready for bed. Crumpet and Biscotti run back into their cage, and Dedue snaps a picture for Ashe, who responds with a flood of emojis. That night, Dedue dreams of an angel with silver hair and freckles that shimmer like constellations.  
  


  
\----  
  


  
The weeks go by. Business is good, Dedue scarcely finding a free moment for himself. Between orders for the cafe and a growing number of regulars, Dedue begins to accept that he might just need some help in the shop. Ashe encourages him to post an advert, but Dedue can’t quite let go of his independent nature, not yet at least.  
  
He and Ashe message daily, about work, their pets, and eventually their lives. He now knows Ashe lives alone, aside from his 3 cats of course, and misses his family deeply. They’re visiting soon, for the holidays, and Ashe had apologised in advance for the chaos that will inevitably descend when they visit the bakery. Dedue is sure it won’t be as bad as Ashe fears, and even if it is, he can cope. His sister has always been far rowdier than himself, he’s used to the noise and slight level of destruction. He misses her, he tells Ashe as much as he explains how she’d convinced him to take a chance and quit an office job he just wasn’t made for, to pursue his true passion.  
  
Dedue experiments with new pasty fillings, he tweaks the spice combination for his bread, and each time, he asks Ashe’s opinion. He’s started popping over to the bakery before opening, bringing tea for Dedue and testing whatever new creation Dedue has tried that day. Dedue tries to convince himself that it’s all product testing, working out what’s best to sell, both at the bakery and for Ashe’s customers at the cafe, but he knows deep down that every alteration he makes, every new recipe he tries is just an attempt to see Ashe’s face light up in bliss again. 

  
  
\----  
  


  
Wednesdays are Dedue’s day free from the bakery. Well, in theory at least. In reality, he often ends up there anyway, enjoying the slower pace and taking the time to test recipes his tiny oven at home can’t handle. He rises late -- late for him, at least -- and decides to stop in at the cafe before firing the ovens up.  
  
The bell above the door chimes as always as he enters, but Dedue doesn’t notice it; he’s instead immediately struck by how busy the shop is this morning. The queue snakes all along the counter, people in suits waiting for their daily dose of caffeine. Ashe is a blur behind the counter, never stopping moving, weaving between the counter and the other server as he works. There’s a spot of whipped cream on his nose and a smear of cocoa powder on his cheek; Dedue longs to reach out and clean it off for him. He doesn’t, of course, but he does linger before joining the queue. There’s a dullness to Ashe’s eyes, his smile seems forced for once.  
  
He looks tired.

“Dedue! Sorry, I’ll be with you in a minute!- yes, what can I get for you?”  
  
Dedue opens his mouth to respond but before he can, there’s an almighty crash from behind the counter. Cutlery goes flying as Ashe looks on, eyes wide. The other server, a tiny young woman with fiery orange hair scrambles to pick everything up as Ashe just stares in shock. He needs a break, if only for a moment. Dedue knows how hard Ashe works, how even once he’s home (inevitably later than expected), he’s still thinking about the cafe.  
  
“Ashe, do you think you should take a moment to rest?” Dedue steps to the side of the counter, his voice low.  
  
“Please!” It isn’t Ashe that replies, but the other server. Annette (her name hardly visible between all the stickers on her name badge) almost shoves Ashe towards Dedue. “He never takes a break! I’ll get this cleaned up and keep everything together!”  
  
Ashe sighs, his shoulders sagging, but he doesn’t try to resist. He moves sluggishly towards a door at the back, punching in a code and waving for Dedue to follow. It’s a tiny back room, mostly filled with supplies for the cafe, but there’s a small table and a couple of chairs, one of which Ashe slumps into almost immediately.  
  
“I-I’m sorry, Dedue. It’s just been a busy morning!”  
  
“You have nothing to apologise for. We all have moments when things become too much.”  
  
“Even you? B-but you always seem so, um, so on top of everything!”  
  
Dedue snorts. Perhaps he does, but only through virtue of working alone. “You haven’t seen me at 4AM when the oven won’t start.” Ashe laughs, a real one this time, and as he moves, Dedue can see the mark on his cheek again. “You have-” He gestures to his own face, hoping it makes sense.  
  
“Oh! Goodness, I probably look a mess!” 

Ashe pulls a cloth from his pocket and tries to wipe the mark away. He catches the edge but misses most of it entirely. After a few moments of watching, Dedue can’t wait anymore; he reaches for the cloth, taking it gently, cleaning away what remains of the mark. Dedue tries to ignore Ashe’s small gasp, the way he tenses before slightly relaxing into his touch but it’s too difficult, especially when he can see him starting to blush. His cheeks begin to burn and Dedue knows he must be blushing too, that the feelings he’d tried to hide are coming to the surface. He moves his hand away, dropping the cloth onto the table, the soft sound the only noise in the room.  
  
And then, it isn’t. Ashe’s chair scrapes against the floor as he jumps to his feet.  
  
“I-I should get back to work. Thanks, Dedue!” The heavy door slams shut before opening again. “Sorry! Um, you can let yourself out from here, take your time!”  
  
Dedue leaves with the feeling that he’s not only ruined things with Ashe, but quite possibly the future of their business connection too. 

  
  


\----

  
  


_“People can be shit. They’ll fuck you over, waste your time, make you do things you’d never dreamed of otherwise. You know what doesn’t do that? Bread. Carbs won’t let you down, Dedue.”_  
  
His sister had been right, Dedue thinks as he takes the loaves out of the oven. He’d started cooking again properly after his first and only break up and quickly embraced the calming effect it had on him. Even now, he can’t help but feel more steady as he tips the bread onto the cooling rack, watching the steam rise.  
  
There’s a knock on the shutters. It shakes him out of his comfortable state of mind, heart beating faster as he realises only one person would be knocking on them now, on his day off. He dusts his hands off on his apron, slipping to the front of the shop and pulling up the shutters. There Ashe stands, looking as nervous as the first time he’d knocked.  
  
“Hi. Sorry to disturb you, I just wanted to- I thought I should-”  
  
He’s fumbling, stumbling over his words. Dedue can’t watch him panic like this.  
  
“Would you like to come in?”  
  
“Please!”  
  
Dedue pulls the shutters down and signals for Ashe to follow him to the back. The kitchen is cosy, he hopes it’ll be easier to talk here. He tries to think of how to start the conversation, but he hardly has a chance before Ashe jumps in.  
  
“I wanted to say that I’m sorry. For, um, for running away earlier. You… you didn’t have to help like that and I’m sorry for leaving you. And for if I gave you the wrong message.”  
  
Ashe looks up at him, a blush beginning to spread across his face. His eyes are wide, and there’s something there Dedue has only seen briefly before, earlier that day.  
  
“What message would you like to give me?”  
  
“I understand if you want to keep things as a business arrangement. And if you don’t want to message anymore or talk outside of work, that’s okay! But um, I- I like you Dedue, as a friend and argh! I’m sorry, I’ve probably made you uncomfortable.”  
  
He hides his face in his hands, looking away from Dedue but Dedue does nothing to stop him. He’s frozen still, the idea that Ashe might like him too- _does_ like him too ringing in his mind. Slowly, cautiously, he reaches down to bring Ashe’s hands away from his face. Sparkling green eyes look up at him once more.  
  
“What if I wasn’t uncomfortable?”  
  
There’s a moment of silence. Dedue can feel Ashe’s hands tremble; he holds them tighter.  
  
“Then I’d do this.”  
  
And then he’s being kissed. It feels… Dedue doesn’t want to try and think right now, all he knows is that it feels perfect. Ashe tries to break away but Dedue pulls him back in, kissing him hungrily. It isn’t the best position in the world, Dedue having to lean down to reach Ashe but he doesn’t care. He can make this easier for them though; in one movement he lifts Ashe up and sits him down on the countertop. Now-  
  
“T-this is getting a little heated for the kitchen, don’t you think?”  
  
Disappointment rises in him, as much as he knows Ashe is right.

“Mm, perhaps.”  
  
“That doesn’t mean we have to stop! I- well, I took the rest of the day off, Annette threatened to knock me out and send me home in a taxi if I didn’t. So- I hope this isn’t too presumptuous but would you like to come home with me?”  
  
Dedue’s heart beats fast enough to burst and he doesn’t hesitate to reply. There’s only one answer to that question.  
  
“I’d like nothing more.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> Come say hello on [twitter!](https://twitter.com/possiblevoid) I always love to chat about these two.


End file.
